Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman, came under fire on Wednesday for defending the practice of frequent internet shutdowns, which have been a longstanding issue, even before his tenure. These comments were made during a session of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology in Islamabad, where concerns over internet disruptions, VPN registration, and social media censorship were discussed.
Read More: Senate Committee Rules Internet Shutdowns as Unconstitutional in Pakistan
While the PTA Chairman insisted that internet shutdowns are wrong, he claimed that such decisions are made only upon receiving directives from the Ministry of Interior. However, his refusal to take responsibility for the frequent disruptions raised eyebrows, with many committee members questioning the lack of clarity on the issue. When pressed further about the recurring shutdowns, Rehman suggested that the Ministries of Law and Interior were better positioned to provide legal opinions, deflecting accountability away from the PTA.
A senator directly challenged the PTA’s authority to block internet access in specific areas, asking where such powers are enshrined in law. In response, the PTA Chairman maintained that these directives typically come from the Ministry of Interior, while the Special Secretary of IT added that blocking all online content in a region would require suspending the entire internet service. This exchange left many questioning whether the PTA’s role was being improperly used as a tool for censorship, with no clear legal foundation.
The committee also revisited past shutdowns, many of which were ordered by the Supreme Court and High Court. One senator suggested that the Ministry of IT needs to resolve legal ambiguities, recommending that reviews of court directives be sought to better define the limits of internet restrictions and protect citizens’ rights.
Concerns were also raised over the PTA’s handling of social media content. The Chairman disclosed that the PTA receives approximately 500 daily complaints about objectionable content. However, despite the compliance of social media platforms with 80% of these requests, 20% of flagged content remains unaddressed. This failure to act on the remaining complaints only fueled suspicions that the PTA was either ineffectively managing these complaints or deliberately avoiding enforcement.
Regarding the controversial VPN registration process, the PTA Chairman confirmed that it started on December 19, with two internet service providers and one major corporation applying for licenses. Despite claims of efforts to implement a globally recognized VPN model, critics argue that the registration could be another step toward tightening control over digital freedom.
The session also addressed Pakistan’s internet infrastructure, with the PTA Chairman acknowledging the country’s low rank of 97th in internet speed. While the PTA outlined plans for improving connectivity, including the addition of the “2 Africa” submarine cable and the installation of four more cables in the coming years, critics remain skeptical about whether these measures will result in tangible improvements or simply serve as empty promises.
